If the season were to tip off today, the Golden State Warriors would have just $43 million guaranteed salary committed to their 2027-2028 roster. Only three players — Moses Moody, Gui Santos, and Yaxel Lendeborg — have fully guaranteed money for next season with no team or player option attached.
It might seem premature to already speculate about next season when the actual season isn't even underway, but not totally. A limited amount of guaranteed contracts means that most of the players on the roster will have an extra something to play for this upcoming season, and that extra something is money. It also means that the organization will have decisions to make, some as soon as next February when the trade deadline nears.
Warriors could have over $100 million in cap space next summer
The reason the organization has such a small amount of guaranteed money committed is that Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler — the three highest-paid players on the team — are all on expiring contracts. That's over $145 million in salary for this season.
Kristaps Porzingis, De'Anthony Melton, and Al Horford all have a player option they can exercise for next year, though Porzingis only has $3 million of guaranteed money. Brandin Podziemski will become a restricted free agent next summer if his side and the Warriors can't agree to an extension before October 19 of this year.
On paper, it' a messy picture. When taking everything into consideration, that picture quickly gets much clearer. For Curry, it's simple: the ball is in his court. He's repeatedly stated his desire to hang it up as a Warrior, so the uncertainties are more about when he will sign that extension, for how much money and how many years, rather than whether he will sign one at all.
Regarding Podziemski, general manager Mike Dunleavy already expressed his wish to renew the hard-nosed guard's contract, so not too many concerns there either. Besides, the Warriors finalizing those deals in the offseason (next year) would allow them to operate with even more flexibility when it comes to roster construction. In other words, the front office is in no rush.
Veteran Warrior stars are plaing for their next contract
The focus will surround Green, Butler (once he comes back), and Porzingis. All three veterans have something to win — or lose — from the upcoming 82-game slate. Draymond is coming off a bad year in which he failed to remain consistent and couldn't take care of the ball at an acceptable rate. A bounce back is expected, though probably in a lesser role.
But what happens if the Warriors — who will be without both Butler and Moody until around February — get off to a slow start? Green is on a one-year deal, and recent history has told us that he's far from being untouchable in trade talks. Had the Warriors acquired a game-changer at any point last season or during the summer, Draymond would have probably been part of the deal. So why wouldn't he be next February? Especially if his level of play remains subpar.
Questions surrounding Butler — who turned 37 years old on September 14 — are also legitimate. At now 37, Butler would become one of the oldest NBA player to recover from an ACL tear. The Warriors can't rest their hopes on an unimpeded return. He'll probably need time to get back to level he was playing at, if he ever does. What about the remaining seasons of his career? What role will he be able to fill?
One thing is for sure, when Butler is healthy and well, the Warriors look good. Since he made his debut with the franchise in February of last year, Golden State has stacked up 46 wins against just 22 losses in the games he's played in. Before he suffered his season-ending knee injury against his former team — the Miami Heat — back in January, the Warriors were on a roll. They turned their record and season around by winning 12 of 16 games, and Butler was at the center of it all, averaging over 20 points per game and serving as Curry's ideal Robin.
Butler is expected to return to the court around the trade deadline and to ramp up from there. But next summer will be decision time again, and Butler will want to get paid again. His performances and the way he looks post-injury will probably determine the path the Warriors want to take with the Texas native.
Same goes for Porzingis. The Warriors will owe him $3 million if he decides to opt in but have until July 2027 to waive him before that number rises to $20 million. The issue with the big man has always been his health. Last season — after he joined Golden State on February 5 as part of the Jonathan Kuminga trade — he suited up for barely over 50% of his team's games — playing in 17 of 33 possible games. However, when he's on the court, he's an obvious fit. His size, shot-blocking ability, and facility to knock down threes make him a great complement to Curry and the Warriors' system.
Those extension talks and numbers are hypothetical. The best way to settle contract negotiations has always been to perform between the lines. A productive year on the court in the NBA often results in a lucrative contract. When the time comes, the Warriors should have plenty of room to hand such contracts to players worthy of them. Those lofty figures need to be earned, though.
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